I got home this afternoon from work, went to go check on the birds to see if their water needed refilling, etc. Well I couldn't find my BW Ameraucana cockerel, Claude. He was in the larger run with the older women (his new home after fighting with my other young cockerel) this morning but I didn't see him anywhere right now. Then I heard him making faint noises, I followed the noise until I found him crammed beside the wall of the chicken run and the composter that's near the back of their yard. I pushed the composter out of the way, hoping he hadn't been stuck too long only to find his left wing bloodied and missing feathers!
He ran from me as soon as he could wiggle free, so I figured he must not be badly injured.
Eventually I grabbed him, checked him over and the only sign of damage I could find on his body is the bloody left wing. I don't know what possibly could have happened to him from the time that I left this morning until now. I counted and checked to make sure everyone else was accounted for, all are safe and here. A couple weeks ago I lost a hen to what I think was a hawk during the daytime, do you think Claude might have had a run in with the same bird? I haven't seen any hawks lately but I don't know if they're still around. The older girls pen where he's staying isn't covered either, just my younger teenager grow out pen.
Here's some pictures of what his wings look like. He was a good boy and sat right on my arm and let me take pictures of his wing.
(That's a leftover piece of homemade pizza we had for dinner last night, fresh tomatoe sauce and flat bread, I peeled the cheese off. I wanted to make sure he would eat something, I don't know how long he's been stuck so I was worried that he was hungry.)
How do I doctor his wing? I don't really have anything on hand that I know of right away to use. I have some neosporin and peroxide, but I've heard that can burn wounds. There's a feed store close to my house that sells chicken supplies. I think I've seen Blu Kote there before, though I don't even know if that would help. The wound looks fresh, that scared me so I locked up all the other birds inside their respective coops.
How should I treat his wound? What do y'all think could have done this?
Claude is 17 weeks old, he was born on April 1st out of eggs that I hatched from pips&peeps. He's been one of the sweetest cockerels I've ever had, I don't think this wound is life threatening but I want to do whatever I can to make him comfortable and ease any pain he might be in. He's alert and actually started crowing in the carrier. He's eaten a lot of the pizza and I'm watching him to make sure he drinks water. I separated him from the flock, bringing him inside and putting him in a pet carrier. So for now he's checked into the chicken ICU ward. Any thoughts on how can I make his stay inside more comfortable for him? I feel bad for not having anything to line the pet carrier with, I might try to find an old towel. All of my chicks have been moved outdoors so I don't have any pine bedding like I used to.
Help, anyone?
Eventually I grabbed him, checked him over and the only sign of damage I could find on his body is the bloody left wing. I don't know what possibly could have happened to him from the time that I left this morning until now. I counted and checked to make sure everyone else was accounted for, all are safe and here. A couple weeks ago I lost a hen to what I think was a hawk during the daytime, do you think Claude might have had a run in with the same bird? I haven't seen any hawks lately but I don't know if they're still around. The older girls pen where he's staying isn't covered either, just my younger teenager grow out pen.
Here's some pictures of what his wings look like. He was a good boy and sat right on my arm and let me take pictures of his wing.
(That's a leftover piece of homemade pizza we had for dinner last night, fresh tomatoe sauce and flat bread, I peeled the cheese off. I wanted to make sure he would eat something, I don't know how long he's been stuck so I was worried that he was hungry.)
How do I doctor his wing? I don't really have anything on hand that I know of right away to use. I have some neosporin and peroxide, but I've heard that can burn wounds. There's a feed store close to my house that sells chicken supplies. I think I've seen Blu Kote there before, though I don't even know if that would help. The wound looks fresh, that scared me so I locked up all the other birds inside their respective coops.
How should I treat his wound? What do y'all think could have done this?
Claude is 17 weeks old, he was born on April 1st out of eggs that I hatched from pips&peeps. He's been one of the sweetest cockerels I've ever had, I don't think this wound is life threatening but I want to do whatever I can to make him comfortable and ease any pain he might be in. He's alert and actually started crowing in the carrier. He's eaten a lot of the pizza and I'm watching him to make sure he drinks water. I separated him from the flock, bringing him inside and putting him in a pet carrier. So for now he's checked into the chicken ICU ward. Any thoughts on how can I make his stay inside more comfortable for him? I feel bad for not having anything to line the pet carrier with, I might try to find an old towel. All of my chicks have been moved outdoors so I don't have any pine bedding like I used to.
Help, anyone?
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